The Final Battle: The Tale of MihnTai
by whiplashsmile
Summary: While watching the final episode, I had imagined what it would be like to have another character added into the mix. The tale of Mihn-Tai adds more suspense and gives Aang more of a drive to defeat the fire lord and restore balance to the world.


They all were sitting around a fire contemplating about how the final face off with the Firelord would turn out. Sokka, Katara, Zuko, Sukki and Toph, they all looked worried. Yes, all had faith in Aang, but something was a tad off with him. "Aang, what's the matter?" Katara asked, "You don't seem like your usual self today. If it's about facing the firelord, I think you should talk about it. It always helps when I do it." "No, it's not that, Katara" Aang said, with no doubt in his voice, but with with a tone showing everyone that it was another situation on his mind.

"Tell us what's the matter" Zuko said while firebending more flames into the fire, "Uncle always said that 'It's better to let your emotions out because if you keep them bottled up inside, then they'll become more of the issue than the issue itself." "It's . . . it's just a thought that I had" Aang began.

"When I was younger, there was this girl. Her name was Mihn-Tai, and she was one of the only people who truly understood me. She was older than me, but she knew way beyond her years. She was the most powerful airbender that I had ever seen. In fact, everyone thought that she was going to be the next avatar. One day, we were practicing our airbending, and she was so happy because she heard the secret that everyone was talking about. I was happy for her, I mean, how can you not be excited knowing that you're friends with the next avatar? . . . A couple of days later, though, I was teaching a couple of my friends some new airbending moves that I had come up with, and the monks had called me in. They told me that I was the avatar, not Mihn-Tai. They said that I had chosen the past avatar relics, and that I needed to start my avatar training immediately because they had sensed a great danger coming.

"I didn't know how to feel. I didn't want to be the avatar. I knew Mihn-Tai wanted to be so badly, and it felt like I had taken it away from her. And, to top everything off, the other monks were going to ship me off so I could start my avatar training elsewhere. I just couldn't take it anymore, so I left a note and ran away. Appa and I got caught in a storm, and that's how we ended up in the iceberg.

"Now that the day of the comet is coming up, I keep thinking about her. It feels like I'm taking her spotlight away from her again, and I can't stop thinking about it . . ."

Astounded my what they had just heard, everyone was speechless. "Aang, everything happens for a reason; finding you in the iceberg, meeting Toph, Zuko being banished, even what happened to my mother." Katara had said this with much emotion, that it had caught Aang's attention more than usual: "If that firebender hadn't killed my mother, he would've gotten me, and I wouldn't be here with you; the rightful avatar. I know you feel like you're to blame, but don't be; the universe wanted you to have all of this power, not Mihn-Tai."

"Thanks, Katara . . . it's just that . . . I never even got a chance to tell her that it was me. . . . I didn't even say goodbye." Katara had seen the remorse in Aang's eyes. She knew that anything she said wouldn't have helped, but her affection and love for him would've. She leaned over, and embraced him with one of her loving and hopeful hugs.

The nightfall was ending, and the sunrise was arriving, bringing the day of Sozin's comet a day closer every time. However, when everyone had awoken, Aang was no where to be seen. The gang searched the island, but nothing had led to a trace of where Aang was. With this in mind, the gang had hopped upon Appa, and they had given the duty to Zuko to resume his past duty of hunting for the avatar.

Little did everyone know, Aang had unknowingly walked upon an island; an island which had drifted into the ocean. After hours of the gang searching, and Aang searching within himself and the Spirit World for an answer to his other worries, the gang had found Iroh, and Aang had found himself standing on a moving island, but when taking a swim next to it, had discovered it was an enormous lion-turtle.

Everyone who had been questioning had learned their answers that day. Zuko had spoken with his uncle, and Aang had an interesting conversation with lion-turtle. Everyone had realized their purpose, and was ready to end the hundred years of war.

The day of Sozin's Comet had finally arrived, and everyone was fighting a battle that had one common purpose: to restore peace and balance to the world. As Zuko was in a fire-duel with his sister, the almost-crowned Firelord Azula, Sokka, Sukki and Toph were on a mission to stop the rest of the fire nation from destroying the world. As Iroh and the other white lotus _ had returned to Ba Sing Se to end the destruction of the Earth kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se, Aang was in a fearsome duel between power and peace with the Phoenix King Ozai.

Ozai fought hard with the unbelievable power the comet had given him; fire was everywhere. Aang did not want to kill Ozai; it went against his beliefs and everything he was taught. To protect himself and hide away from the destruction, Aang had created a shield made of rock. Ozai approached the rock, blowing fire from the palms of his hands and making horrible remarks about the air nomads. As Aang blocked the fire, a voice had come to him; Minh-Tai had come to him.

"Aang, are you going to let someone disrespect us like that?" she said. ". . . Minh-Tai, is that you?"

"Yes, Aang. I've been watching you for sometime now, and may I say, I'm very proud of you."

"But . . . but, I'm losing. I'm not powerful enough, and I can't go into the avatar- state. And besides all of that, it's supposed to be you here, not me."

"Aang, the monks had approached me and told me about you. I was upset that I wasn't going to be the next avatar, but I was glad it was you. It could not have happened to a better person; you're wise beyond your years, and quite a powerful bender. You remind me of myself. But you have something that I don't have, Aang. You have the strength and power that is above destruction. If I was in your position, Ozai would've been destroyed, bringing all of his wrong-doing with him, but your power has let you not lead to that conclusion. You have to face him, Aang. You have to defeat Ozai, not only for your people, the Air nomads, but for your people of all nations."

With everything now clear to him, Aang's bravery had emerged; he was ready. Ozai, however, blasted, with all his might, a beam of fire. The beam was forceful. In fact, the beam had finally given Aang the power to return to the avatar-state. The spirit of Mihn-Tai had hovered and grasped over him. With her power in him, together, they weakened the Phoenix King.

Minh-Tai had released herself to give Aang his proper glory; the glory of removing Ozai's title of the Phoenix King. With Aang's power, he had taken away Ozai's bending abilities. This act had come not from strength with power, but strength with peace. He had saved the world, but he didn't not lose his morals and beliefs along the way. Peace was finally given to the world that day, but more importantly, peace was given within the last airbender himself.


End file.
